Airliners generally keep records of their flights, and the flight information can be used for the maintenance, repair and operations of the airplanes. Crewmembers can use onboard radios to communicate the record data to the airlines' operation office through ground based aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) stations and/or communication satellites. Data going through such stations or satellites can be cost prohibitive to airlines if the amount of data to be exchanged becomes large. The speed of such data transmissions can also be slow. At some airports, the airplane's can also use a terminal wireless local area unit (TWLU) based on IEEE802.11b/g to transfer data, but the TWLU typically cannot exceed a limited range near the airport gate, and an airplane gate turnaround time may not allow for a complete exchange of the data. Crewmembers hand-carrying laptops or magnetic media can board the airplane and exchange data manually, but this can be slow and expensive due to the need for using trained personnel and having the personnel travel to the airplane, connect the equipment, monitor the transfer, disconnect the equipment, and return to the terminal stations.